


to the stars

by littleleotas



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: N7 Day, Post-Mass Effect 3, Pre-Mass Effect 1, oc backstory that matters to no one but me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 09:47:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8484649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleleotas/pseuds/littleleotas
Summary: Hypatia Shepard's past and future with the Alliance, for N7 Day.





	

2160

“Dismissed!”

At the teacher's word, the dance class dispersed. Hypatia walked over to the side of the area cleared in the shuttle bay, pointing her toes in front of her with each step forward. She sat down next to her friend Zelda and began taking off her shoes.

“I don't want to be stuck on a ship forever,” said Zelda, frowning as she stuffed her shoes into her bag.

“It's not so bad,” said Hypatia, flexing her feet.

“I'm gonna live on a planet. I'm gonna get off of ships and never leave the ground again.”

“You don't ever want to travel to other planets?”

Zelda shrugged. “I guess. I just hate ships.”

Hypatia was quiet for a minute before saying softly, “I like them. We can go anywhere in the whole universe on a ship.”

“I don't want to go anywhere in the whole universe. I want to find a home and stay there forever.”

Hypatia thought that sounded awful, but didn't say so. Zelda's mother waved at them, walking over.

“Hi, girls! How was dance?”

“It was good,” said Zelda. She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Bye, Hypatia.”

“Bye,” said Hypatia, smiling. As Zelda left, Hypatia folded her hands in her lap, looking at them. She didn't look up until she saw a shadow overtake her.

“Hypatia,” said Hannah.

“Hi, Mom,” said Hypatia, standing up.

“How was dance? Are you okay?”

Hypatia nodded. “Mom?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Why don't we live on a planet?”

Hannah sighed, putting a hand on Hypatia's back as they walked along the corridors. “Well, your father and I...neither of us wanted to leave the Alliance. We couldn't stay in the Alliance if we wanted to live on a planet.”

“Oh,” said Hypatia. “So if you left the Alliance you wouldn't get to go to other places?”

“Well, you could still travel, probably. The Alliance sure makes it easy, though, sending us all over the galaxy.”

Hypatia nodded thoughtfully.

“Are you unhappy on the ship?” Hannah asked worriedly.

Hypatia shook her head. “Just thinking.”

Hannah's expression did not become less worried, but she said nothing more for a moment.

“If you wanted to leave the ship, you could live with your grandparents-”

“No!” said Hypatia, stopping abruptly and looking up at Hannah fearfully. “I wanna stay on the ship!”

Hannah looked slightly confused but nodded. “Okay.”

She opened the door to their quarters to find Malcolm Shepard hanging up his jacket. His face brightened when he saw them.

“Hey, sweetie!” He closed the locker door and swooped Hypatia up in a giant hug as she giggled. “How's my dance superstar?”

“Good,” she said, still giggling.

“Hi, honey,” he said to Hannah, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

“Dad?” Hypatia asked.

“Hm?”

“Why did you join the Alliance?”

He looked curiously at her. “Huh.”

He set her down on the bed, and she crossed her legs and looked eagerly and seriously up at him.

“Well. Both my parents were Alliance. I had always considered it.”

Hypatia hummed thoughtfully.

Malcolm smiled. “I wanted to see the galaxy. And I wanted to make it a better place.”

“And not be stuck on a planet forever.”

“Huh?”

Hypatia shook her head. “Never mind.” She climbed off the bed. “When is dinner?”

 

2172

The sea breeze ruffled Hypatia's loose hair as she looked out over the harbour. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“You could stay here, you know,” said her grandmother, Nadia.

Hypatia seemed as if she didn't hear, taking a sip of tea.

“A degree from the university? In engineering? There's always money in that.”

“It isn't about the money, Nana.”

“Well, what is it about?”

She set her teacup down and sighed. “I don't want to be...stuck.”

“You could do anything with a degree! You wouldn't be stuck.”

“No, I mean...I guess...” She looked out at the sea again, this time raising her head gradually to look up at the sky. “I want to see...everything.”

Nadia shook her head. “There's too much of your father in you.”

“Mom did the same thing,” said Hypatia, raising an eyebrow.

“Your _mother_ got a _degree_ first.”

“That isn't me, Nana.”

Nadia waved her off. “You'll change your mind. You'll see.”

Hypatia pursed her lips. Her omnitool began beeping and she stood up from the table.

“It's Dad, I'll take this inside.”

Nadia sighed pointedly but said nothing more as Hypatia stepped through the door. Hypatia walked back to the guest bedroom in which she was staying, closed the door, flung herself on the bed, and hit a button on the omnitool.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, sweetie! How's Alexandria?”

“Hot.”

“And how are your grandparents?”

She sighed.

“That good, huh?”

“Nana's trying to convince me to stay again.”

“She only wants what's best for you, sweetheart.”

“What she wants is another shot at keeping her daughter at home.”

Malcolm made a faint non-committal noise.

“Don't worry, Dad. I've made up my mind.”

“Oh really?”

“I'm joining the Alliance.”

“Oh, that's great, sweetie! You're sure that's what you want?”

Hypatia paused. “Where are you right now, Dad?”

“Ah...Nepmos, in the Styx Theta cluster. Setting up a communications post.”

“What's it like out there?”

“Well...it isn't the prettiest planet, sweetie. But the sky is orange and grey, light and dark. Not like anything you're gonna see on Earth.”

Hypatia smiled. “Yes. I'm sure that's what I want.”

 

2209

Hypatia walked with a slight limp into the ambassador's office on the Citadel. Ambassador Haukaas stood up to salute her and Hypatia raised a hand, chuckling a little.

“You're not military, you don't have to salute me.”

“Sorry, ma'am.”

Hypatia eased herself into the chair in front of the ambassador's desk. “That's alright. The last ambassador didn't even try to salute me. I think I like you better already.”

Ambassador Haukaas chuckled, sitting down in her own chair. “I'm glad we're off to a good start then, Admiral.”

“I know you're brand new, this is essentially just an introduction meeting to let you know what I do and how I can help you.”

The ambassador nodded, wide-eyed.

Hypatia smiled and continued. “In a nutshell, you represent humanity's interests to the council, and I make sure humanity is getting along with everyone else in the galaxy. If you have any trouble, you call me and we figure out how to best keep everyone happy. If I have anything I need the council for, I'll call you.”

“A former Spectre needs the human ambassador to talk to the council for her?”

Hypatia shrugged. “They needed something for me to do. And apparently I'm too old for combat.”

Ambassador Haukaas started to chuckle, but turned it into a cough.

Hypatia laughed. “I know how old I am, Ambassador.”

“Ragna.”

“Ragna,” Hypatia nodded. “Well, Ragna, unless you have any questions, that's all we really needed to do.”

“They had you come all the way out to the Citadel just for that?”

“Like I said, they needed something for me to do.” Hypatia stood up and groaned. “Oof, that doesn't get any easier.”

“I'll have someone help you home,” said Ragna, coming around to let Hypatia lean on her arm.

“I'll be fine, I've got my driver,” she smiled. Ragna walked her to the door, and gasped when she opened it to see a tall, scarred turian waiting outside it.

“I can take it from here, Ambassador.”

Ragna's eyes went wide and she froze. Hypatia laughed. “You've frightened the ambassador, dear.”

“Uh,” said Ragna.

Garrus took Hypatia's arm in his own. “We'll worry about formal introductions another time.”

“'Til next time, Ragna,” said Hypatia as they turned and walked away.

“Uh,” said Ragna again.

Garrus snorted a laugh.

Hypatia smirked at him, raising an eyebrow. “That wasn't nice.”

“I didn't do anything!”

“Uh-huh.”

Garrus opened the skycar door and helped Hypatia in. He got in on the other side and turned the car on.

“How'd it go?”

“Pretty well. I like her,” said Hypatia. She looked out the window at the Citadel passing by. “It's a marvel, isn't it?”

“Hm?”

“It looks just the same as it always did.”

Garrus looked over at her. She felt his gaze on her and she looked back, smiling. “It's beautiful.”

“You're beautiful,” said Garrus.

Shepard grinned. “You nerd.”

They landed at the car park by their temporary apartment building. Garrus got out of the car, came around to Hypatia's door, and gave her an arm to help her out.

“I wonder if I shouldn't get my other leg replaced, too,” groaned Hypatia.

“I don't know, I'm rather fond of you leaning on me all the time,” said Garrus.

She smacked him playfully as they approached the apartment door. A young human girl opened the door as they approached.

“Hi Mom! Hi Dad!”

“Hi, Astra,” said Garrus and Hypatia together. Hypatia snorted, the way she always did when they ended up saying the same thing in unison.

Astra took Hypatia's other arm and they helped ease her onto the couch in the living room.

“Do you need anything, Mom?” Astra asked.

“Some water would be nice,” she said, leaning back into the couch.

“I've got it,” said Garrus, heading for the kitchen.

Astra sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Hypatia, chewing her lower lip slightly.

“Is something wrong?” asked Hypatia worriedly.

Astra shook her head. “I just- I think I- hm.” She frowned and looked to the side, gathering her words.

Hypatia was familiar with this gesture from her daughter, and she smiled slightly to herself, waiting for Astra to proceed.

Garrus re-entered the room, handing Hypatia a glass of water and sitting on the couch beside her.

“Everything okay, Astra?” he asked.

Astra nodded curtly and kept thinking. Garrus met Hypatia's gaze and found the answer in her face, nodding with understanding.

Astra took a deep breath. “Mom, Dad, I think I've made a decision.”

“About?”

“Uh...life. I guess.”

Hypatia and Garrus both tilted their head to the side and Astra stifled a laugh.

“Well, Ms. Lockwood at school was asking us what we want most out of a job, what we want to do with our lives and stuff. And I was thinking, I want to...”

Astra looked out the window at the skycars whizzing by, and out to the Citadel skyline beyond them. Hypatia looked knowingly at Garrus, and he took her hand and squeezed it gently.

Astra continued. “I want to see everything out there. I want to see every planet you've told me about since I was a kid. Like some of my classmates were talking about staying on the Citadel or Earth or moving to new planets and then...staying there? Getting jobs that make them stay in one place, and I just-”

She turned away from the window toward Hypatia. “Doesn't that sound awful? Being stuck on one planet, never leaving and seeing more? What do you learn from that? What do you gain? I-”

Hypatia was smiling at Astra as she realised she'd been babbling. Astra laughed at herself and put a hand on her forehead.

“Sorry, I, um. What I meant was...Mom, I'm joining the Alliance.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have little to say about this that isn't terribly self-deprecating, so. If for whatever reason you want to know more about my Shepard(s), I'm on Tumblr at ridethecricket and they've got tags there, and I'm always open to questions.


End file.
